Means for printing cinematograph films



A. s. NEWMAN 1,779,947

Oct. 28, 1930.

Filed Feb. 11, 1928 Fig.1.

Get. 28, 1930. s, NEWMAN 1,779,947

MEANS FOR PRINTING CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS Filed Feb. 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 28, 1930 PATENT OFFICE RTH'UR SAMUEL NEWMAN, OI LONDON, ENGLAND IIEANS FOR PRINTING GINEMATOGBAPH FILMS- Application filed February 11, 1928, Serial No. 253,714, and in Great Britain February 17, 1927.

It frequently happens that the perforations in a negative film do not correspond exactly with the perforations in the unexposed film to be printed. The variations may be '6' due to faulty manufacture of the film upon which the negative is printed, they may be due to shrinkage of the film either during the process of development and fixing, and they may be due to its age. When printing on a rotary machine from a negative film the perforations of which do not coincide with those in the unexposed film, the two films will from time to time jump with respect to each other with the result that when viewed upon the screen the picture likewise jumps.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved printing machine which will enable a good positive film to be produced from a negative film when the two sets of perforations are not exactly alike.

According to the present invention the machine comprises nine sprockets, a central printing sprocket, two auxiliary sprockets for delivering the negative film and the unexposed film to the printing sprocket, two other auxiliary sprockets for receiving the two films from the printing sprocket, the two usual feed sprockets and the two usual takeup sprockets. All these sprockets are geared together and they and both the films are driven at the same speed. A lighting device of usual construction is employed to eiiect the printing as the two films pass over the printing sprocket.

The printing sprocket is formed with pairs of teeth separated ci-rcumferentially by a distance equal to the spacing of the pictures, and a small roller is preferably'employed as a jockey pulley to hold the two films in close contact on the said teeth.

The pairs of teeth on the printing sprocket engage perforations at or near the centre of the pictures and the films are in contact with the circumference of the printing sprocket for a distance equal to about the spacing of the pictures.

The body of the printing sprocket is fixed on to the spindle and has a way formed through the same from end to end thereof. 50 Within this way is placed a driving bar which is pivoted at its centre to the-body of the sprocket. The driving bar and the sprocket are pivoted together in any suitable manner as by means of a ball and socket joint. The driving bar projects on each side of the body of the driven part of the sprocket and the ends of said bar are located within apertures in' two toothed discs, each having teeth separated acco 'ding to the spacing of the pictures, which discs are mounted loosely upon the spindle. The apertures in these toothed discs are sufficiently large to allow the driving bar to rock therein. This construction allows the teeth of either toothed disc to advance and to retard with respect to the other toothed disc, thereby enabling the teeth to accommodate themselves to irregularities in the perforations.

The auxiliary sprockets for delivering the two films to the printing sprocket and those for receiving the two films from the printing sprocket are connected to their driving spindles by means of antagonistic springs so that the springs tend to keep the films tight upon the printing sprocket. For this purpose the spindle may be provided with a fixed arm thereon, the end of which is provided with two limiting stops.

The sprocket, which is loosely mounted upon the spindle, is connected to the spindle by means of a spring which allows the sprocket to rotate upon the spindle through a small angle according to the distance apart of the limiting stops. This spring may be a volute spring, one end of which is attached to the driving spindle, and the other end of which is fixed to the sprocket. These coiled springs will tend to rotate the sprockets in such directions as to keep the two films always in contact upon the printing sprocket.

The films are drawn' as usual from two spools, and they are delivered at the other.

end of the apparatus on to two other spools by means of the usual feed and take-up sprockets.

All the sprockets except the printing sprocket are formed with the usual number of teeth at each end for each picture.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the printing The improved apparatus comprises ten spindles all marked a on each of which is fixed a toothed wheel 6; These toothed wheels all gear together and are driven at the same speed in any suitable manner as by the bevel gearing c from the driving shaft 03. Nine of these spindles a each carry a sprocket. The other spindle a only carries a gear wheel I) meshing with three other gear wheels I).

The negative film e and the film f to be printed, both indicated by broken lines, are retained on the sprockets by means of pres sure rollers g, 9 carried by arms k in known manner and are driven at the same speed.

2' is the printing sprocket and j and I: are auxiliary sprockets for delivering the films e and f to the printing sprocket i.

Z and m are other auxiliary sprockets for receiving the films e and 7 from the printing sprocket i.

n and 0 are the usual feed sprockets and p and g are the usual take-up sprockets.

A jockey pulley 1' is preferably employed between the auxiliary sprocket 7' and the printing sprocket z to deflect the negative film e and to ensure a good contact between the negative and positive films and between the positive film f and the printing sprocket i.

The body .9 of the printing sprocket i is fixed on its spindle a and it has a way t formed therethrough. Within the way t is placed a driving bar to which is formed at its centre with a ball '0 located within a socket carried by the body 8 of the printing sprocket 2'. The ends of the driving bar 10 enter apertures w in the discs 02 mounted loosely on the spindle (1. These discs aare formed with driving teeth y which'are separated by a circumferential distance equal to the spacing of the pictures. The apertures 'w in the discs :12 are sufficiently large to allow the ends of the driving bar a: to rock therein, thus enabling either tootheddisc w to advance and retard with respect to the other toothed disc and their teeth- 3/ to accommodate themselves to irregularities in the perforations.

The two auxiliary sprockets j and k are alike and the two auxiliary sprockets Z, m are alike and they are all connected to their driving spindles a by springs z. The springs 2 connecting the sprockets 7' and is to their spindles a are antagonistic to each other and the springs 2 connecting the sprockets Z and m to their spindles a are likewise antagonistic to each other so that these springs tend to keep the two films e, f tightly upon the printing sprocket 2', which is loosely mounted on its spindle a. Each spindle a has an arm 1 fixed thereon that carries limiting stops 2, 3 acting in conjunction with a pin 4.- fixed in the sprocket. The spring 2 is connected at its outer end to the pin 4 and at its inner end to the spindle a. The arm 1 is preferably somade that it may be fixed upon its spindle in such a position that its end is about equi distant from the stops 2 and 3 when in use.

sprocket 2' have their teeth 3/ arranged at the usual distance apart to engage with all the perforations in the film.

The films are threaded between the two feeding sprockets n, o and the auxiliary sprockets j, k to leave loops 6, 6 and between the auxiliary sprockets Z, m and the take-up sprockets p, g with loops 7, 7 to allow the auxiliary sprockets to keep the films tight upon the printing sprocket z.

What I claim as my invention is 1. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket which are separated by a circumferential dis tance equal to the spacing of the pictures, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spin dles and which tend to keep the two films tightly upon the printing sprocket, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual take-up sprockets and gearing by which all the sprockets are driven, the printing sprocket having its body fixed on its spindle, a way formed through the body, a driving bar pivoted within the body, two toothed discs loosely mounted upon the spindle and perforations in said discs in which the ends of the driving bar are located, as set forth.

2. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket which are separated by a circumferential distance equal to the spacing of the pictures, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles, a bar fixed upon the spindle'of each auxiliary sprocket, two stops upon each bar, a pin fixed in each auxiliary spnocket between the said two sto s, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual ta e-up sprockets, and gearing by which all the sprockets are driven, the printing sprocket having its body fixed on its spindle, a way formed through the body, a. driving bar pivoted within the body, two toothed discs loosely mounted upon the spindle and perforations in said discs in which the ends of the driving bar are located, as set forth.

3. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles and which tend to keep the two films tightly upon the printing sprocket, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual take-up sprockets and gearing by which all the sprockets are driven, the printing sprocket having its body fixed on its spindle, a way formed through the body, a driving bar pivoted within the body, two toothed discs loosely mounted upon the spindle and perforations in said discs in whichithe ends of the driving bar are located, as set forth.

4. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles, a bar fixed upon the spindle of each auxiliary sprocket, two stops upon each bar, a

pin fixed in each auxiliary sprocket between the said two stops, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual take-up sprockets, and gearing by which all the sprockets are driven, the printing sprocket having its body fixed on its spindle, a way formed through the body, a driving bar pivoted within the body, two toothed discs loosely mounted upon the spindle and perforations in said discs in which the ends of the driving bar are located, as set forth.

5. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket which are separated by a circumferential distance equal to the spacing of the pictures, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles, a bar fixed upon the spindle of each auxiliary sprocket, two stops upon each bar, a pin fixed in each auxiliary sprocket between the said two stops, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual take-up sprockets, and gearing by which all the sprockets are driven, the printing sprocket having its body fixed on its spindle, as set forth.

6. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles, a bar fixed upon the spindle of each auxiliary sprocket, two stops upon each bar, a pin fixed in each auxiliary sprocket between the said two stops, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual take-up sprockets, and gearing by which all the sprockets are driven, the printing sprocket having its body fixed on its spindle, as set forth.

7. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket which are separated by a circumferential distance equal to the spacing of the pictures, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which two of the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles and springs antagonistic to the said springs by which the other two aux iliary sprockets are connected to their spindles and which tend to keep the two films tightly upon the printing sprocket, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual take-up sprockets and gearing by which all the sprockets and both the films are driven at the same speed, the printing sprocket having its body fixed on its spindle as set forth.

8. An improved apparatus for printing cinematograph films having in combination a printing sprocket, teeth on said sprocket, two auxiliary delivering sprockets, two auxiliary receiving sprockets, springs by which two of the auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles and springs antagonistic to said springs by which the other two auxiliary sprockets are connected to their spindles and which tend to keep the two films tightly upon the printing sprocket, two usual feeding sprockets, two usual take-up sprockets and gearing by which all the sprockets and both films are driven at the same speed, the printing procket ha ring its body fixed on its spindle as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR SAMUEL NEWMAN. 

